ITV: Social media has saved linear TV

PROPAGANDA FACTORY: Social media has come to the rescue of linear television by turning programmes into must-see events, delegates here have been told.

Alberto Barreiro, head of experience for ITV online and on-demand, said the broadcaster was “trying to understand what is the role of a broadcaster in a digital world,” where “both linear and VoD are perfectly valid and have to live together.”

ITV has recently revamped its VoD player ahead of the launch of its micropayment system to access archive content, while second-screen apps and playalong games have been developed for shows such as The X Factor and Britain’s Got Talent.

Barreiro said social media has “come to the rescue” of linear TV, allowing friends and family, and strangers, to share the experience of watching content even though they might not be in the same room.

“We’re extending that experience and making the most of it in digital through clips and highlights,” he told C21’s Propaganda Factory conference at Bafta in London today.

News feeds have also been added to websites belonging to shows such as Britain’s Got Talent and ITV’s news and sports pages, which Barreiro described as “storytelling in a digital format.

“Our goal,” he added, “is trying to build linear worlds with digital products. We now have interactive ads online that extend the value of advertisements, such as our partnership with Shazam.”

ITV became the first UK broadcast partner to tie with the audio-recognition app earlier this year under an exclusive deal.

“From a content perspective, our goal is to create an environment that allows these things to flow naturally. You don’t have to create apps that are difficult to download. We’re trying to create the rules of the game that allow viewers to extend their experiences,” said Barreiro.

“There’s definitely a battle around who’s going to lead and monetise this, whether it’s production companies or broadcasters. Everyone is looking around to see who will be the winner. We don’t know yet but we have to be ready.”